How I Got Distracted During a Digital Detox
It’s Sunday and the first item I wrote on my “to do” list was to write this blog entry. Yet, I cleaned my entire house, cleaned myself (i.e. showered), and made lunch (in the process re-cleaning the kitchen) before sitting down to write. Writing is now one of the last items I will check off having been distracted by cleaning. But, for today, that is okay.
Distractions still find ways to kidnap my focus even in the midst of my own version of a “digital detox” inspired by the book Digital Minimalism. I am of the opinion that digital distractions are among some of the hardest to navigate in present day. Countless sites are engineering our attention and apps are getting more and more addictive. However, distractions go far deeper than the digital world.
Social caretaking responsibilities and administrative tasks will always exist for most people (although in varying and disproportionate rates due to gender, race, and socio-economic class just to name a few). The goal of increasing focus, therefore, cannot simply be attained by eliminating distractions all together. Life is inherently distracting. So instead of avoiding distraction I can instead look to support focus, which I know I can achieve in two ways. By creating both anti-distraction habits and environments that support increased concentration, I support my focus.
For example, when I need to get serious writing and work done, I visit the library. Even with the smart phone in airplane mode, there are always far too many cleaning and administrative tasks at home. I often get stuck in completing those items when I am feeling productive, prioritizing them over my work. The library is an environment that I can count on to support my focus.
Certain sounds are also incredibly distracting for me. So, I have a habit of always carrying earbuds in my bag. I know from experience that thuds, tapping, rattling, and even white noise can send me searching for dopamine hits on websites designed to trap attention. If the library becomes noisy, I can pop them in and listen to music that helps me focus. My favorite right now is this playlist.
Paradoxically, cleaning can sometimes help me focus because cleaning is an environmental change that can support focus. The trick (for me) is to not get mentally exhausted doing the cleaning. I can choose to spend time cleaning worrying about all the work I am not getting done OR I can let the cleaning be more of a meditation, a practice in presence. Exercise and meditation are great for focus, as well. Any activity that helps get the mind into a flow state can quiet negative or fear-based thoughts enough to get into a state of flow.
One thing that I have learned during this digital detox is that, in a world where our attention is increasingly being hijacked to advertisements, it is important to remember that distractions have always and will always exist. And perhaps, because of this fact, it is even more important to stay mindful in all the ways one can support their focus.